Columbus
Columbia County Spotlight
Tips to revitalize your garden
Gardening is a rewarding hobby that pays a host of significant dividends. Many people love gardening because it allows them to spend time outdoors, and that simple pleasure is a notable benefit of working in a garden. However, the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture notes that gardening provides additional benefits, including helping people get sufficient exercise, reduce stress and improve mood. With so much to gain from gardening, it’s no...
13 Nights on the River off to a great start at McCormick Park in St. Helens
It took a bit of fancy footwork, but the city of St. Helens held its first 13 Nights on the River concert at McCormick Park seemingly without a hitch. The event Thursday, June 6, has been reconfigured and relocated this year due to all the construction taking place at the riverfront. City Administrator John Walsh was on hand to see the event unfold. ...
Motorists along the riverfront in St. Helens will need to pack a lot of patience
Road construction in downtown St. Helens is a fact of life lately, and beginning the week of Monday, June 10, motorists will face a new headache. Landis and Landis Construction is shifting their work area to the west side of St. Helens Street at the South First and St. Helens Street intersection. The city, in a news release, says a full closure of St. Helens Street on the west side...
Evanson: Caitlin Clark's problems are not of her doing, but rather a result of everything around her
Say what you will about the circus that’s become Caitlin Clark, but if there’s one person you can’t blame for the discourse surrounding the transcendent star — it’s her. Since the former Iowa standout arrived on the WNBA scene, it’s been seemingly open season on the 22-year-old. For reasons ranging from competitiveness to jealousy, further to pride, and further yet to the agenda-driven drivel of people weaponizing the rookie in the interests of their cause, players and pundits have and continue to go hard at...
It's not his first rodeo: Ivan McClellan shines light on Black cowboys and cowgirls
At rodeo events, Ivan McClellan has suffered a broken arm and cuts, and he has run from bulls and jumped over and ducked under fences. It ain’t easy being in rodeo — even for a photographer documenting the people living and playing in the western culture and lifestyle. The job can be perilous. “I’m taller than most people, and I always crouch down to get the shot from the angle I want,” he said. “That’s the most harmful thing I do.” ...
Scappoose-area teen readies for summer following strong showing at national spelling bee
She may not have grabbed the winner’s cup, but Scappoose-area teenager Rubina Wiedemer is ready to enjoy the summer after coming oh-so close to winning the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Wiedemer tied for 17th and made it to the semifinals, where she was eliminated in round 7 after incorrectly defining the word “shellacking.” That said, the 14-year-old Wiedemer is ready to leave the national media spotlight and focus on...
Climate change devastating to some marine species, OSU study indicates
Marine plants and animals on the Pacific Coast have been hit by an epidemic and devastating heat wave over the past decade, and some have not bounced back, a new study found. The research by scientists at Oregon State University has implications for the planet: A properly functioning ocean is crucial for a healthy planet, and an imbalance among marine species not only affects that ecosystem but also can touch people, they said. ...
2024 Infiniti QX60: Right-priced midsize luxury SUV
The 2024 Infiniti QX60 fooled me the first few days I drove it – in a good way. The midsize three-row luxury SUV is based on the affordable Pathfinder manufactured by Nissan, Infiniti’s parent company. I knew that because I had tested both the QX60 and Pathfinder when they were completely redesigned two years ago. But I had forgotten it and was surprised to rediscover that when researching the newest QX60 for this review. The Pathfinder is an excellent affordable SUV, but the QX60 is so much more sophisticated there is no comparison, despite sharing the same platform, engine, transmission,...
McCormick Park in St. Helens gets an electrical jolt of good news
Significant electrical upgrades at McCormick Park will now make it possible for the largest park in St. Helens to stage bigger events. The improvements were completed because of a $7,000 Columbia River People’s Utility District economic development grant awarded to the city of St. Helens. A news release from the city says the park previously did not have sufficient electrical capacity to host large-scale events that required a large power...
Oregon’s psilocybin industry, a year old, seeks customers
A year in, Oregon’s experiment with the first regulated psilocybin mushroom market in the world is short on customers. To attract them, advocates say the industry needs to get the word out about its benefits. “We think everybody knows that psychedelics can help them because we’re in this little bubble. But 99% of people have no idea what they could get out of a journey,” said Heidi Venture, founder of...
Hops Weekly: Hops miss opportunity to gain ground on first place Spokane
For the third straight week, the Hops appeared poised to make serious strides in the NWL standings, but instead negated a fast start with a clunky finish to split with their weekly foe, in this case first place Spokane. After taking the first two games of their six-game set, Hillsboro managed to win just one of the final four and failed to gain any ground on the league-leading Indians. The...
Silently, Oregon State baseball's season ended at hands of Kentucky with 3-2 loss
Bottom of the ninth, two outs, a man on and trailing by one. It's the scenario every kid from Halifax, Canada, to Sydney, Australia, dreams about. Oregon State's pair of international born players, the Canadian Micah McDowell and Australian Travis Bazzana, both found themselves in the exact spot. Playing on the road at Kentucky and needing two runs to walk off the Wildcats and stay alive for another day. Bazzana...
Tenth inning rally leads Hops over Spokane 9-6
An inning after blowing a four-run lead, Hillsboro made right in a 9-6 win over Spokane on Saturday, June 8, at Avista Stadium. Jake Snider’s two-out grand slam in the ninth sent the game to extra innings, but the Hops responded with four runs of their own an inning later, getting the go-ahead hit from Andrew Pintar and later what would amount to the game-winner on a sacrifice fly to center from Christian Cerda. ...
Celebrate June with these fun events! : June 10-15
MONDAY, JUNE 10-SATURDAY, JUNE 15 PDX BEER WEEK — It’s 10 days of fun, education, eating and drinking — a celebration of the craft beer culture at various establishments, June 14-23. More: pdxbeerweek.com JUNETEENTH FREEDOM DAY CELEBRATION — The city of Tigard and the Tigard-Tualatin School District are hosting the third annual Juneteenth celebration from 3-6 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at Shelter 2 in Cook Park, 17005 S.W. 92nd Ave....
Hops drop second straight as Spokane evens their series with an 8-1 win
Just like that, the series is even. After capturing the first two games of their six-game series with Spokane, the Hops (26-27) have dropped two straight after an 8-1 loss to the Indians on Friday night, June 7, at Avista Stadium. Hillsboro starting pitcher Avery Short had one of his few bad outings of the season, allowing five earned runs on five hits in four innings of work. ...
OPINION: Think before jumping in on your next reef dive this summer
With summer upcoming, many Oregonians will be embarking on vacations to warmer weather and water, exploring the flora and fauna that coastal ecosystems offer. Coral reefs offer a particularly impressive combination of biodiversity and beauty which have solidified them as a major attraction for tourists. However, the compounding effects of climate change, water pollution, tourism, and overfishing have led to widespread reef damage attributable to human activity. Beyond being aesthetically...
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